ENG: “Beyond the Silence” is more than two and a half hours of Mathias Grassow’s music. Another fantastic gift from the gterma label for everyone harbouring a weakness for the German master of drone poetry.

But what is very important, is that it’s not a solo creation by Mathias. “Beyond the Silence” is a recording of a live performance, during which Mathias was assisted by his longtime friend Carsten Agthe. Both gentlemen co-create in Nostalgia and KarmaCosmic, as well as collaborate under their own names. All this with generally excellent results. This concert took place at Gut Saunstorf, a monastery that is not assigned to a particular faith, but open to everyone looking for peace of mind, contemplation and detachment from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The release consists of two discs. The first one is called “The Woodland Hideaway” and the other “Invocation of the Inner Flame”. It’s difficult to write about another of Mathias’ recordings without falling into clichés – in this case, a little harder since the music, despite the different titles, contains variations of tracks from other releases of the German artist. “Sanctuary Deeper Within” and “The Hunt” are even literal quotes from “Wisdom Of Fate”. Yes, minor differences are noticeable, but after all this is a live performance. Although to be honest, the tracks sound so well that if not for the info in the booklet and the audience’s applause, I’d think it was another studio release by Grassow.

However, Carsten Agthe’s contribution, who is responsible for percussion instruments, makes a significant difference. I wouldn’t say exactly that it adds dynamics to the music: where it’s supposed to be static, it is static; where the element of movement is more important, it still is generated by Grassow (for instance in the breathtaking pulse of “The Hunt”, as if the earth was rumbling under the feet of hundreds of nocturnal predators in a hunting spree). But Agthe brilliantly supports Grassow in his crusade inside the human mind to escape from the shackles of the body, just through his monotonous rhythms and mantrically repeated sequences. The percussions don’t interfere with the reception of the contemplative sounds created by Mathias, on the contrary, they assist in a complete immersion in the music and forgetfulness of the outside world.

“The Woodland Hideaway” is an extraordinary, but otherwise familiar journey into the sky, the sun and the clouds, and then gliding down into the arms of dense northern forests. From direct sunlight into the heart of darkness. The album ends with a very subtle and calm “Silent Contemplation”. Both artists amazingly manipulate the listener’s moods; at one point the aura is airy and ethereal, only to give one goosebumps with its icy breath a moment later. In terms of emotions it’s a perfectly polished thing. The second CD, “Invocation of the Inner Flame” is a bit calmer, more subdued, it doesn’t give such mood swings anymore. Its drones are usually warm and soothing, but sometimes a bass rumble makes itself felt, like a foreshadowing of a distant, unspecified threat (“Wild Eyed Shamans”). And the ritual, shamanic aspect is present here in a wider aspect than on the first disc. It reflects not only in the titles of certain tracks. Here I also have to point out that at the end of the disc, “The Coming of the Dawn” is completely devoid of rhythm, but with its heavenly atmosphere it could easily find its place on my boundlessly worshiped Dämmerung.

160 minutes of music. Nearly three hours of forgetfulness, a journey in a completely different world; whatever I write in conclusion, I won’t be able to convey what Mathias Grassow, supported by Carsten Agthe through his music are able to. You have to listen to this. You just have to.